Spooky season is over and it’s safe to come out from behind the sofa.
For me, scariest thing this month was that I began my Full Time Degree. That’s right, I’ve decided to do a crazy mid life thing and change careers and the first step in this is getting a better education. Of course this means being a lot more practical on game purchases, so I’ll be buying less.
Of course I have two years of outstanding Kickstarters so new arrivals will still be dropping on our doorstep for the foreseeable future.
KICKSTARTER ARRIVALS
First arrival of the month was ABOREA from Alley Cat Games. And what a beautiful game it is. Last year we’d decided not to add BITOKU to our collection as a friend already owned it. But when ABOREA appeared on Kickstarter with a similar art style and asthetic, I figured we’d own that instead. It looks similar in it’s theme and art. And I liked the aspect of time tracks, similar to placing and removing meeples in TZOLK’IN.
AGE OF COMICS followed later in the month. This was a game that I knew I’d back following the first advert I ever saw of it. A comic publisher set Worker Placement game? No brainer for this board gaming geek. And while I’m still super interested in the setting and mechanics as the main pull, I can’t stress how amazing the actual final product is. The production on AGE OF COMICS is perhaps top 5 from all the games I’ve backed. The insert, the components, the art; it’s all fantastic. It puts some more expensive retail games to shame.
Next up was the second expansion book for COLOSTLE, the smash hit solo RPG. This time we’re heading to a far east inspired area in COLOSTLE: KYODAINA. This opens up a Japanese themed land to the game as well as adding a guided story campaign. I’ve very much looking forward to exploring here.
The next arrival was a surprise. Following a much delayed post campaign and a real lack of communication, a lot of SENJUTSU: BATTLE FOR JAPAN backers began to assume that we’d never get our games. And when copies did materialise in distribution hubs, new problems emerged including short shipping and a necessary second print run to delay a sub set of backers. After waiting for a month after my label printed email notification had arrived, I suddenly got a “your package is arriving today” message. Three hours later I was trying to ignore the negative feelings I had towards the game and the company behind it. I wanted to judge the final product on it’s own merit. And it is a very good looking and interesting game. No issues with the product with damage or missing components (except my sleeve pack). Hopefully it plays well for the two of us to enjoy.
NEW GAMES OF THE MONTH
While we’ve finished our 52×1 challenge this year, it doesn’t mean we’ve stopped working through our unplayed games, though our first couple of learners were taught to us by friends.
MISSION RED PLANET is an area control game, and as such with that genre, it doesn’t usually mean a good 2-player experiance. For this reason I’d never made the purchase, but still always wanted to try it. So I was lucky that @thoughtsofameeple brought it around for our gaming day. It uses card selection much like RAPTOR in that you’re choosing numbers high to low in the hope of picking a good turn order, but the later you go in a round, the better abilities the card will offer. And the the game gets mean with your little explorers being left behind on Earth, sent to the moon instead, or just made to vanish completely. We played a 4-player game, and it was a lot of fun.
CASCADIA was another game that we’d not got around to trying before despite it’s popularity and positive reviews. This was another game taught to us by @thoughtsofameeple and we liked it. A little less stressful than it’s predessessor, CALICO. Players choose a tile and an animal token and then build out there natural area while using the tokens to complete scoring goals. Probably not one I feel we’d need to add to our collection, but would happily play it every time it was suggested.
DREADFUL MEADOWS was the first of our newly arrived games to learn and play, one that only turned up late last month. After backing and enjoying Arkus Games previous project, SHELFIE STACKER, I was intertested with what they’d come up with next. This is a tile laying and resourse gathering game with a cool and cute art style for it’s Hallowe’en setting. One thing I do like about this are the character powers. Each one seems massively game breaking to the point that you feel someone picking a certaincharacter has an easy win. BUt becasue all the characters have such powerful abilities, it levels the playing field and just means that you’re best chance of success is leaning into that ability.
I’d always wanted to try HARVEST from Tasty Minstrel Games but figured I didn’t have as much chance once they went out of business in 2022. No more new printings. But when I stumbled upon a still in shrink copy of the game at my FLGS last month, I didn’t hesitate in grabbing it. And it’s pretty good. Basic Worker Placement while trying to grow and sell crops. What makes it interesting is the limitation on turns. You only have ten actions from your Workers for the game; two in each of the five rounds. So it contantly feels like you can’t get much done. It’s a tight game, but doesn’t out stay its welcome at around 30 minutes. I also really like that method for inititive each round. Unique.
MOON was another Kickstarter that arrived last month, and in an attempt to stay on top of our Shelf Of Shame, we got it to the table as soon as we could. And it’s good. Potentially my favourite of the three. Basically it’s SUSHI GO in space, with drafting cards and passing your hand to the next player. But instead of most of the cards you pick scoring you points, they are used to gain resources and unblock requirements to build better cards. As with everyone I’ve seen review this game, we really didn’t like the hearts for scoring. The tokens are small and double sided, making them quite fiddly. But everything else in the game from the Rovers (to use other players cards) to the art work and overall production are really good and the game has a nice flow to it.
At a family gathering, after a nice dinner and a good afternoon walk, we settled down for a game of SECRET HITLER. There are usually seven of us on these days, so we play a lot of games that have higher player count and learn more towards party games or social deduction games. My future nephew had gotten SECRET HITLER as a recent present and he wanted to try it out. And what a fun game it was. Like a lot of this sort of game, the group can make or brake it. We had four back to back games where everyone was laughing at the end. Constant accusations amidst raucous laughter. It’s a great entry into social deduction games and very easy to pick up and learn. I think this might come out quite regularly in future visits.
Sometimes I know that I’ll like a game based on watching playthroughs and maybe a few other factors. THE WHITE CASTLE was one of these game. And while I tried to hold off and be sensible (I am a poor student now), I couldn’t hold out for very long. But I’m glad we have it, because after four plays now, we really enjoy it. The amount of variable set up means games are always thinky. The wooden components are really nice, and overall it’s a good 45 minute game in a nice small box. In fact, just writing about it now is making me want to play it again.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Enjoying a games day with @thoughtsofameeple
- Starting my University Degree
- SENJUTSU finally arrived
- A pick up in Kickstarter game deliveries
- A Halloween session of Blood On The Clocktower
Always Play Blue 